Rifled in the airport

How I got TSA’d before the TSA existed

I went to college at University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1979, on a rifle scholarship. Yes I shot smallbore rifle for a college team. But as the school was so isolated we had to fly all over the lower 48 to compete. During Thanksgiving of that year I flew with the team to the East Coast to compete and then to Northern Virginia on my own to stay for the holiday with friends from my home town.

On my departure after the holiday I went through National (Ronald Reagan) Airport, first to Cincinnati and then on to Seattle — Anchorage — Fairbanks. During check-in, I had to present my rifle case, a strong aluminum job, and all the equipment for shooting to the security officers. It was a standard procedure, “No it’s not loaded, no I don’t carry ammunition.” But something made me think, later while on that first flight, that as I saw the airline clerk tag my equipment boxes and rifle case supposedly on to Fairbanks Alaska, something didn't look right.

Sure enough. On a hunch during my Cincinnati layover, I went down to the baggage claim for that flight and there was my rifle case and equipment boxes tucked over to the side of the carrosel. Oh no, I thought, how am I going to get them back on the plane? Well I grabbed them and ran upstairs to departures. And then, without thinking, tried to go through security with my equipment. What a mistake that was! I knew as soon as the rifle case went through the security screen I was in trouble. I tried to back out and admit to my mistake but the security agents would have nothing of it. I was interrogated for an hour about what I was doing with such a rifle, my reason for flying, my recent residences, the names of the rifle team coach, my parents were contacted. And of course I missed my connection to Seattle.

I was finally cleared, didn’t lose possession of my rifle, and watched carefully as the ticket agent re-tagged my equipment under the scornful eye of my security guard handler looking over my shoulder. But all was not a loss. I did get to fly first class (my only time ever) to Seattle and ended up back at school only a day late.

Needless to say, I treated my later competition flights with much more attention and ended up attending the NCAA championships later that school year.